Dear Phoenix,
I am beginning my research in buying my first new mattress. I stopped in at a mattress giant showroom and tried a few mattresses and liked some of the Tempurpedics but they were out of my price range. I like a firm mattress and was steered to a Sealy Myrtle Blossom and a Simmons Classic Eagleville. I liked the Sealy and the price seemed reasonable. I then came across your website and after reading alot of the great information you have provided I want to stay away from the big retailers and try to buy from a local manufacturer. I came across a thread where you listed several mattress manufacturers in South Florida where I live. I have went to all of their websites and am beginning my visits to their showrooms. I have already went to Custom Comfort and was able to test some of their mattresses. I spoke with Don, who I believe is the owner, and was shown the manufacturing area and components that would go into the type of mattress I am interested in. I got a quote on a pocket coil mattress with a HD Polyfoam comfort layer with a density of 2.5. He seemed very knowledgeable and I felt comfortable with him but still want to visit some of the other manufacturers you listed before I make a decision. I am looking for a firm innerspring mattress and just wanted to see if you had any experience or recommendations from the companies you listed. I plan on going to Palm Beach Mattress Factory, E.J. Schrader Mattress Company, and DeMattress Company this weekend. Thank you for any help you can provide me. I especially want to thank you for such an informative website.
Hi brooklou,
You are fortunate because the South Florida area has one of the widest choices of factory direct local manufacturers in the country. I don’t know their prices so I can’t make any comparative comments about value but I do know that they all fit the profile of high quality local manufacturing using high quality materials that are my favorite type of manufacturers. I think you would do well with any of them and I would make my choices on a combination of the value they provide for comparable mattresses and of course most important of all … their ability to provide a mattress that is perfect for you in terms of pressure relief, support, and preferences in how they feel.
The mattress you described is one of the reasons I like local manufacturing so much because you just won’t find high quality polyfoam like that in mainstream mattresses available in mass market outlets and it’s much more durable and better performing than the lower density cheaper polyfoam.
I would make a point of comparing this to some of the latex options that many of these manufacturers offer so you can get a sense of which type of foam seems to provide the best combination of qualities for your needs and preferences.
One final comment is that most local manufacturers will gladly talk to you on the phone about what they may offer that was comparable to some of your favorite choices so doing some of the work on the phone can save you a lot of time and will give you a great sense of what to expect if you go and visit them.
Because you have so many good choices … there’s no doubt in my mind that you will end up with a great mattress 
Phoenix
Thank you Phoenix for your input. I did talk to a few of them on the phone but that was before I knew more specific questions to ask as a result of the information I picked up from reading on this site. The prices I was quoted for a king size, firm, innerspring mattress only, ran from $250 to $1015. Now it seems, armed with my research from your site, that I need to find out more specifics about the construction of their mattresses and the quality of the materials used, in order to find the best value that fits my needs. I’ll keep everyone updated as I gather more information and make my decision. Thanks again for your help.
Hi Brooklou,
I’m looking forward to your feedback … and of course any questions you may have along the way
Phoenix
After calling and getting information from some of the other manufacturers I have decided on Comfort Custom Mattresses & Marine Bedding, Inc. (http://www.comfortcustombedding.com/) I went back and spoke to Don ,the owner, and purchased a King size, pocket coil mattress with the HD polyfoam comfort layer. I asked about adding a single layer of talalay on top of the poly and he said it would definitelly be a more quality mattress with it but would provide a more “bouncy” feel. When I asked for a little more clarification he said I can come in this Saturday and he would construct the bed with the polyfoam and then with the talalay added so that I could feel firsthand for myself. I tried out a mattress in his showroom like what I am purchasing(without the talalay layer) and was very satisfied with how it felt. Is the talalay layer going to make that much of a difference for the added price($150-$200)? I guess I am just looking for some input before I go back. Thanks again for all your help. I have been sharing my experience with several of my friends and colleagues and have told all of them about Mattress Underground.
Hi brooklou,
I think this is a great idea. It’s very difficult to describe a “feel” and the best way to know what a material feels like is to experience it for yourself rather than trust someone else’s description. Each person may have very different preferences and use different words to describe the same thing.
I would call talalay more “springy” but even this depends on how soft or firm the talalay we are trying is. If you lay on 44 ILD talalay for example … you wouldn’t call it springy … you would call it “hard” One thing for sure is that it’s very durable. Compared to polyurethane of the same firmness level its also more pressure relieving (conforms to the body shape better) and more supportive (becomes firmer faster and holds weight up better). Of course it’s also more expensive.
I you just add a little bit (say an inch) of latex and still have mostly polyfoam underneath it … it won’t make nearly as much difference but it may still be well worth it if you prefer it and it would increase the durability of the polyfoam below it (it would take up some of the compression). Probably the minimum I would use would be 2" for it to make a larger difference. If you replace all the HD polyfoam with latex (or at least no more than an inch of polyfoam) … it would make a big much bigger difference in both feel, performance, and price but of course the price difference would be more.
HD polyfoam (depending on the density they are using and calling HD) can be a good foam to use and can make a very comfortable mattress in a lower budget range. In a higher budget mattress that used “instant response” foam (rather than memory foam) … I would use either higher quality HR polyfoam or latex.
Phoenix
Thanks for the input Phoenix. I will post back after my visit with what I have decided.
Hi brooklou,
I’m looking forward to your feedback
Phoenix
Just got back and here is what I have decided upon. A king size innerspring pocket coil with 2"of 2.3 density polyfoam and 2" of natural talalay latex(40 ILD) with a damask cover. Don had everything laid out when I got there and I was able to test out both. Although I think I would have been quite satisfied with the original mattress the talalay added that much better of a feel to the mattress and for an extra $150 dollars I thought it was worth it. All told, I’m getting the mattress for $700 which was less than the original mass produced mattresses I had looked at Mattress Giant and one that is a much higher quality. Thanks Phoenix for all the help and information that you have given me. Without finding The Mattress Underground I am afraid I would have paid more for an inferior mattress at one of the national chains. I also like the fact that I was able to give my money to a local small business. I should have the mattress next Saturday and will post back a week or so after that with what my impressions are after sleeping on it.
Hi brooklou,
Congratulations on your new mattress!
I think that high quality foams over a good pocket coil is a great choice and one that many people (including you) love.
I should mention though that I think you may have left a number out of the price just to save a lot of people from going there and thinking that a king size mattress of this quality can be purchased at that price
I think you made a good choice (and I probably would have added the latex as well). I’m looking forward to your feedback after you’ve had a chance to sleep on it.
Phoenix
Just wanted to give an update. I picked up my new mattress this past Friday and have now slept on it the last four nights. I was very impressed with the appearance of the mattress and the quality of the quilted damask cover. Overall I am very pleased with the feel of the mattress. I am still in the process of adapting to the new feel since I had been sleeping on a soft side waterbed. I am really happy that I went ahead and added the talalay to the comfort layer. Although it is a firm mattress, especially compared to the waterbed:) , the latex layer gives it a very comfortable “soft” feel. Hard to adequately describe but very pleasant. All in all I am very pleased with the quality and value I was able to find having a mattress “custom” made by a local manufacturer. I would encourage anyone who may be looking for a new mattress but hesitant about using a local manufacturer without the namebrand to put aside your anxieties and take the plunge, and if your in the South Florida area I would highly recommend Don at Comfort Custom Mattress and Marine Bedding Inc.
Thanks again Phoenix for all your personalized help and for putting together such a great resource to help educate consumers about the world of mattresses:lol:
Hi brooklou,
Thanks so much for your feedback and comments. I can imagine it’s quite a change to go from a waterbed to a “regular” mattress
I think you make a great choice!
hoenix